Connector

ABSTRACT

A connector has a housing (10) and a detector (11) is movable in the housing (10) in a front-rear direction from a standby position to a detection position in front of the standby position when the housing (10) and a mating housing (90) are connected properly. The housing (10) includes protrusions (27) on side surfaces, and the detector (11) includes side walls (53) configured to cover the side surfaces of the housing (10). The side wall (53) includes a resilient piece (55) configured to bulge outward by interfering with the protrusion (27) in a moving process to the detection position and eliminates bulge at the detection position. The side wall (53) includes the resilient piece (55) and rearward facing surfaces (57) at positions adjacent to the resilient piece (55) via slits (54) on a side surface.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a connector.

Related Art

Japanese Patent No. 4977404 discloses a connector that includes aconnector housing and a detector mounted in the connector housing formovement between a restricting position and an allowing position.

The connector housing includes a projection on a side surface. Thedetector includes a side wall for covering the side surface of theconnector housing and a resiliently deforming arm on the side wall. Theprojection and the resiliently deforming arm hold the detector at therestricting position and the allowing position and give resistance whenthe detector moves between the restricting position and the allowingposition. Further, the detector includes a rib-like part laterallybulging on a rear end part of the side wall of the detector at aposition separated from the resiliently deforming arm. The detector canbe moved from the restricting position to the allowing position withthis rib-like part gripped.

In the above case, a movement of the detector from the restrictingposition to the allowing position can be felt by a click feeling of theprojection and the resiliently deforming arm, but this click feeling isnot sufficient and a worker may finish a moving operation of thedetector at an intermediate position (position where the resilientlydeforming arm rides on the projection) of the movement of the detectorto the allowing position.

The invention was completed on the basis of the above situation and aimsto provide a connector enabling a detector to be moved precisely.

SUMMARY

The invention is directed to a connector with a housing connectable to amating housing, and a detector provided in the housing movably in afront-rear direction. The detector is allowed to move from a standbyposition to a detection position in front of the standby position whenthe housing is connected properly to the mating housing. The housingincludes a protrusion on a side surface and the detector includes a sidewall configured to cover the side surface of the housing. The side wallincludes a resilient piece configured to bulge out by interfering withthe protrusion in a moving process to the detection position but stopsbulging at the detection position. A side surface of the side wallincludes a rearward facing surface arranged to face rearward at aposition adjacent to the resilient piece via slits formed on both sidesof the resilient piece.

The invention also is directed to a connector with a housing connectableto a mating housing, and a detector movably provided in the housing. Thedetector can move from a standby position to a detection position infront of the standby position when the housing is connected properly tothe mating housing. The housing includes a protrusion on a side surface,and the detector includes a side wall configured to cover the sidesurface of the housing, the side wall includes a resilient piececonfigured to bulge outward by interfering with the protrusion in amoving process to the detection position and eliminates bulge at thedetection position. A side surface of the resilient piece includes arearward facing surface.

The detector includes the rearward facing surface. Thus, the detectorcan be moved from the standby position to the detection position infront of the standby position by pressing the rearward facing surface.In the process of moving the detector to the detection position, theresilient piece bulges out by interfering with the protrusion. The bulgeof the resilient piece is eliminated when the detector reaches thedetection position.

The rearward facing surface is provided at least at a position near theresilient piece. Thus, fingers of a worker can press the rearward facingsurface and touch the bulging resilient piece. Accordingly, a movementof the detector to the detection position can be grasped tactually andthe detector can be moved precisely.

An interfering portion of the resilient piece is configured to interferewith the protrusion may be arranged apart from the protrusion in thefront-rear direction when the detector is at the detection position.According to this configuration, the interfering portion and theprotrusion do not have a locking function of holding the detector at thedetection position Thus, a degree of freedom in the structures andarrangements of the interfering portion and the protrusion can beenhanced.

The rearward facing surface may be provided in a recessed surface thatis recessed with respect to a peripheral area of the resilient piece onthe side wall. According to this configuration, since the resilientpiece bulges out from the recessed surface in the process of moving thedetector to the detection position, the worker's fingers touching thebulging resilient piece can have a good tactile sense by covering therecessed surface. Further, there is a little concern about interferencewith a moving operation of the detector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a connector of one embodiment of the inventionshowing a state where a detector is held at a standby position withrespect to a housing.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the housing connected properly to a matinghousing and the detector moved to a detection position with respect tothe housing.

FIG. 3 is a section along A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section, corresponding to FIG. 3, showing a state while thehousing is being connected to the mating housing from a state of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section along B-B of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a section showing the detector held at the standby positionwith respect to the housing and interfering portions of resilient piecesfacing protrusions of the housing.

FIG. 7 is a section showing a state where the interfering portions rideon the protrusions and the resilient pieces are bulging out in theprocess of properly connecting the housing to the mating housing andmoving the detector toward the detection position.

FIG. 8 is a section showing a state where the detector has moved to thedetection position and the interfering portions and the protrusions arespaced from each other in a front-rear direction.

FIG. 9 is a back view showing the state where the detector is held atthe standby position with respect to the housing.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the detector.

FIG. 11 is a back view of the detector.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the detector.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the detector.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the housing.

FIG. 15 is a back view of the housing.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the housing.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view partly in section showing a state wheredetector side locking projections are locked to housing side lockingprojections to restrict the rearward escape of the detector when thedetector is at the standby position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 17. A connectorof this embodiment includes a housing 10, a detector 11 and terminalfittings 12. The housing 10 is connectable to a mating housing 90. Notethat, in the following description, surfaces of the housing 10 and themating housing 90 facing each other at the start of connection arereferred to as front ends, and a vertical direction is based on FIGS. 3to 5, 9 to 12, 14 and 15.

The mating housing 90 is made of synthetic resin and includes, as shownin FIGS. 4 and 5, a tubular receptacle 91 directly connected to anunillustrated device and projecting forward. Tab-like mating terminalfittings 92 project into the receptacle 91. The receptacle 91 includes aclaw-like projecting lock 93 on the upper surface of an upper wall.

The housing 10 is made of synthetic resin and includes, as shown inFIGS. 14 to 16, a housing body 13, a fitting tube 14 and a lock arm 15.

As shown in FIG. 6, cavities 16 penetrate the housing body 13 in thefront-rear direction, and a deflectable locking lance 17 projectsforward at the lower surface of each cavity 16. The cavities 16 arepaired in a width direction in the housing body 13 and the terminalfittings 12 are inserted therein from behind.

Each terminal fitting 12 is formed integrally such as by bending aconductive metal plate, and is connected electrically and mechanicallyto an end part of a wire 18. As shown in FIG. 5, the terminal fitting 12includes a tubular connecting portion 19 into which the mating terminalfitting 92 is inserted for connection. The locking lance 17 engages theconnecting portion 19 to retain terminal fitting 12 in the cavity 16.

An unillustrated front retainer is mounted in a front part of thehousing body 13. The front retainer is mounted in the front part of thehousing 13 to restrict deflection of the locking lances 17 forsecondarily retaining the terminal fittings 12 in the cavities 16.

As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, a rear part of the housing body 13 includestubular portions 21 in the form of two connected cylinders defining therespective cavities 16. The wire 18 connected to each terminal fitting12 is pulled to outside from the rear end of each tubular portion 21. Anunillustrated rubber plug is fit on the wire 18 and inserted in eachtubular portion 21 in a liquid-tight manner.

As shown in FIG. 15, each tubular portion 21 includes a retainingprotrusion 22 projecting down from a widthwise central part of a lowerend. As shown in FIG. 3, each retaining protrusion 22 is lockable to alater-described locking claw 23 of the detector 11.

As shown in FIG. 15, the housing body 13 includes two side surfaces 24on widthwise sides of the respective tubular portions 21, and facingwalls 25 rise vertically from upper parts of the side surfaces 24. Asshown in FIG. 14, each facing wall 25 is formed over substantially theentire length of the housing 10 in the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 15, each side surface 24 includes a rectangular recess26 between upper and lower parts, and a claw-like protrusion 27 is onthe back surface of the recess 26. The protrusion 27 has such aprojecting dimension to be confined within a depth of the recess 26. Aprojecting end part of the rear surface of the protrusion 27 is taperedand inclined rearward and the front surface of the protrusion 27 isarranged along the width direction.

Housing ribs 28 are formed on upper and lower parts of each side surface24 and extend parallel to one another in the front-rear direction. Twohousing ribs 28 are on the upper part and one housing rib 28 is on thelower part, and these housing ribs 28. The housing rib 28 on the lowerpart of each side surface 24 has a larger vertical thickness than thehousing ribs 28 on the upper part and extends over the entire height ofthe lower part. Each housing rib 28 has a stepped shape such that alateral projecting amount is reduced gradually toward the rear.

The fitting tube 14 surrounds the outer periphery of a front part of thehousing body 13 and the receptacle 91 of the mating housing 90 isfittable between the fitting tube 14 and the front part of the housingbody 13. An unillustrated seal ring is fit externally on the housingbody 13 and is interposed in a liquid-tight manner between thereceptacle 91 and the housing body 13 when the housings 10, 90 areconnected properly.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the fitting tube 14 includes two side walllower portions 29 covering both sides of the front part of the housingbody 13. There is a step 31 between each side wall lower portion 29 andeach side surface portion 24, and the front end of each housing rib 28is integrally connected to an end surface constituting the step 31.

The fitting tube 14 includes side wall upper portions 32 rising from theupper ends of the respective side wall lower portions 29 and integratedwith front parts of the facing walls 25. Further, the fitting tube 14includes a bridge 33 spanning between the upper ends of the respectiveside wall upper portions 32. Open spaces 34 are formed between thefacing walls 25 and the bridge 33 and are open upward and rearward.

The lock arm 15 includes legs 35 arranged between the facing walls 25.The legs 35 are paired in the width direction and rise from the uppersurface of the housing body 13, as shown in FIG. 15. An arm body 36extends forward and rearward from upper ends of the legs 35 and isexposed to the open spaces 34, as shown in FIG. 3. The arm body 36 canbe tilted and displaced resiliently in a seesaw manner in the verticaldirection with the legs 35 as supports.

The arm body 36 includes a rearwardly open assembly space 37 extendingin the front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. 3. A housing lock 38closes a front end of the assembly space 37, two rails 39 close bothwidthwise sides of the assembly space 37, as shown in FIG. 16, and aplate 41 closes a rear-upper side of the assembly space 37.

As shown in FIG. 3, a detecting body 42 of the detector 11 is insertedinto the assembly space 37 of the arm body 36. The detecting body 42 hasa detector locking portion 43, and the housing lock 38 is locked to arear surface of the detector locking portion 43 facing the assemblyspace 37, as shown in FIG. 3, before the housings 10, 90 are connectedproperly. Additionally, the lock 93 of the mating housing 90 is lockedto the rear surface of housing lock 38, as shown in FIG. 5 when thehousings 10, 90 are connected properly. Laterally protruding parts ofthe respective rails 39 are inserted into rail grooves 44 of thedetecting body 42 to guide the assembling of the detector 11.

Housing side locking projections 40 project on both widthwise sides ofthe arm body 36. Each housing side locking projection 40 is claw-likeand coupled to the lower surface of the laterally protruding part of thecorresponding rail 39, as shown in FIG. 15. Each housing side lockingprojection 40 is lockable to a detector side locking projection 68 ofthe detector 11.

As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, the detector 11 includes a fitting 45 andthe detecting body 42. The fitting 45 includes an insertion space 46inside. The detector 11 is movable in the front-rear direction withrespect to the housing 10 to a standby position where the housing body13 is inserted shallowly in the insertion space 46, as shown in FIG. 3,and to a detection position where the housing body 13 is inserted deeplyin the insertion space 46 as shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 11, the fitting 45 includes a back wall 47 for closinga rear side of the insertion space 46. A central part of the back wall47 includes a wide through hole 49 that makes interfering portions 48and the locking claw 23 visually confirmable. At the detection position,the respective tubular portions 21 of the housing body 13 are fit in thethrough hole 49 of the back wall 47 and the back wall 47 surrounds theentire peripheries of the tubular portions 21.

As shown in FIG. 12, the fitting 45 has a lower wall 51 for closing alower side of the insertion space 46, and a deflectable retaining arm 52projects forward in a widthwise center of a rear part of the lower wall51. As shown in FIG. 3, a locking claw 23 projects up on a front part ofthe retaining arm 52. The locking claw 23 is locked to the retainingprotrusion 22 of the housing 10 after the retaining arm 52 is deflected.

As shown in FIG. 12, side walls 53 are on both widthwise ends of thefitting 45 for closing both widthwise sides of the insertion space 46on. As shown in FIG. 10, each side wall 53 includes upper and lowerslits 54 extending long in the front-rear direction and a strip-likeresilient piece 55 between the upper and lower slits 54. Each resilientpiece 55 is in the form of a beam supported on both ends and isdeflectable with parts coupled to front and rear end parts of thecorresponding side wall 53 as supports. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, eachresilient piece 55 includes the claw-like interfering portion 48projecting on a rear part of an inner surface. A projecting part of therear surface of the interfering portion 48 is tapered and inclinedforward and the front surface of the interfering portion 48 is arrangedalong the width direction. The interfering portion 48 can interfere withthe protrusion 27 of the housing 10 and has larger thickness in thefront-rear direction and projecting dimension than the protrusion 27.

As shown in FIG. 10, a rear part of each side wall 53 has a recessedsurface 56 recessed inwardly from front, upper and lower parts(peripheral area). A rear part of each resilient piece 55 is provided ineach recessed surface 56. The recessed surfaces 56 have stepped shapesso that a width interval (widths of the respective side walls 53)becomes gradually smaller from front ends toward rear ends.Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, each recessed surface 56 isconstituted by alternately disposing rearward facing surfaces 57extending short in the width direction and arranged to face rearward andlaterally facing surfaces 58 extending along the front-rear directionand arranged to face laterally in the front-rear direction. The rearwardfacing surfaces 57 and the laterally facing surfaces 58 are arrangedcontinuously over the entire height of the recessed surface 56 via theupper and lower slits 54, as shown in FIG. 10.

Each rearward facing surface 57 is formed along a line extending in thevertical direction in a side view. Further, the respective rearwardfacing surfaces 57 are formed to be successively located more outwardtoward a front end. as shown in FIG. 11. The inner surface of each sidewall 53 is flat in the front-rear direction except at the interferingportion 48, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. Thus, each side wall 53 becomesgradually thinner toward a rear except at the interfering portion 48 inthe recessed surface 56.

As shown in FIG. 13, the detecting body 42 is a plate extending in thefront-rear direction between upper ends of the side walls 53. Further,the detector 11 includes two coupling portions 59 bridged between sidesurfaces on both widthwise sides of the detecting body 42 and the sidewalls 53.

The detecting body 42 is slidable in the front-rear direction withrespect to the lock arm 15 while being inserted in the assembly space 37of the lock arm 15, and is tiltable together with the arm body 36 withthe respective coupling portions 59 as supports.

The detecting body 42 includes a base 61 extending in the widthdirection in a rear end part, a resilient arm 62 projecting forward froma widthwise central part of the base 61, two guide arms 63 projectingforward from both widthwise ends of the base 61, and a plate-like cover64 bridged between the respective guide arms 63 and arranged to straddleover the resilient arm 62. A front part of the detecting body 42projects farther forward than the front end of the fitting 45.

The resilient arm 62 and the respective guide arms 63 are parallel toeach other. When the detecting body 42 is inserted into the assemblyspace 37 of the lock arm 15, upward protruding parts of the respectiverails 39 are fit into spaces between the resilient arm 62 and therespective guide arms 63 as shown in FIG. 1 and the plate-like portion41 is fit into a space between the resilient arm 62 and the cover 64, asshown in FIG. 3.

The guide arms 63 include two rail grooves 44 extending in thefront-rear direction in the inner surfaces thereof, as shown in FIG. 12.The guide arms 63 are mounted on the lock arm 15 to embrace therespective rails 39 from outside with the laterally protruding parts(see FIG. 15) of the respective rails 39 fit in the respective railgrooves 44.

The guide arms 63 include ribs 65 extending in the front-rear directionwhile projecting up. As shown in FIG. 3, a rear part of the uppersurface of each rib 65 is inclined down toward a rear end.

The guide arms 63 include detector side locking projections 68projecting toward each other on inner sides. The detector side lockingprojections 68 are arranged on lower surfaces of the corresponding railgrooves 44. When the detector 11 is at the standby position, thedetector side locking projections 68 are lockable to the correspondinghousing side locking projections 40.

The claw-like detector lock 43 projects down on a front part of theresilient arm 62. The detector lock 43 contacts the rear surface of thehousing lock 38 at the standby position to restrict a movement of thedetector 11 to the detection position as shown in FIG. 3, and is incontact with the front surface of the housing lock 38 at the detectionposition to restrict a movement of the detector 11 in a return directionto the standby position, as shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 10, the cover 64 has both widthwise sides coupled tolower parts of the inner surfaces of the ribs 65 and the flat uppersurface thereof is located slightly below the upper surfaces of the ribs65. As shown in FIG. 13, the rear end of the cover 64 is spaced apartfrom the base 61.

As shown in FIG. 13, each coupling 59 is a tapered strip plate extendingoblique to the width direction and the front-rear direction from a frontend part of the inner surface of each side wall 53 to a substantiallycentral part in the front-rear direction of an upper part of the outersurface of each rib 65 (side surface of the detecting body 42). Theupper surface of each coupling 59 is substantially continuous and flushwith the upper surface of each rib 65 without any step. The front end ofeach coupling 59 is at substantially the same position as the front endof each side wall 53 (also the front end of the fitting 45). Thecoupling 59, the side wall 53 and the rib 65 form substantially aZ-shape in a plan view.

A tilting fulcrum 66 is defined where a rear end of each coupling 59 isconnected to the corresponding rib 65 of the detecting body 42 and istwisted and deformed resiliently when the detecting body 42 is tilted.The tilting fulcrum 66 of each coupling 59 is at a position in thefront-rear direction overlapping the corresponding leg 35 that serves asa tilting fulcrum of the lock arm 15 and is substantially at the sameposition as the corresponding leg 35 in the front-rear direction at thestandby position.

The fitting 45 includes an opening 69 that opens upward between theupper ends of the respective side walls 53. As shown in FIG. 13, thedetecting body 42 is exposed to the opening 69 and can be confirmedvisually from above through the opening 69.

Next, how to connect/separate the housings 10, 90 is described.

First, the detector 11 is assembled with the housing 10. The assemblingof the detector 11 at the standby position is guided by fitting therespective rails 39 of the lock arm 15 into the rail grooves 44 of therespective guide arms 63 and fitting the rear part of the housing body13 into the insertion space 46. At the standby position, the lockingclaw 23 of the retaining arm 52 is in contact with the front surface ofthe retaining protrusion 22 to be lockable to this front surface, asshown in FIG. 3, and the respective detecting member side lockingprojections 68 are in contact with the front surfaces of the respectivehousing side locking projections 40 to be lockable to these frontsurfaces, as shown in FIG. 17. In this way, the detector 11 is retainedon both upper and lower sides with respect to the housing 10 and therearward escape is restricted reliably. Further, the detector lock 43 ofthe detecting body 42 is in contact with and lockable to the rearsurface of the housing lock 38 of the lock arm 15 to restrict a forwardmovement of the detector 11 toward the detection position.

Further, at the standby position, a clearance (part of the open space 34of FIG. 1) is formed between the cover 64 and the bridge 33, as shown inFIG. 1, and a front part of the resilient arm 62 is exposed in thisclearance to be visually confirmable. Furthermore, at the standbyposition, the interfering portions 48 of the respective resilient pieces55 are arranged to face and to contact projecting inclined parts of therear surfaces of the respective protrusions 27 from behind, as shown inFIG. 6.

The housing 10 then is connected to the mating housing 90. In theprocess of connecting the housings 10, 90, the housing lock 38 of thearm body 36 rides on the lock 93, and the arm body 36 is tilted in aseesaw manner in the vertical direction with the legs 35 as supports, asshown in FIG. 4. At this time, the detecting body 42 also tilts with thearm body 36 with the respective couplings 59 as supports. Since thetilting fulcrums 66 of the respective couplings 59 and the respectivelegs 35 are arranged at the same position in the front-rear direction, atilting displacement of the lock arm 15 and that of the arm body 36 aresynchronized satisfactorily substantially without interfering with eachother.

When the housings 10, 90 are connected properly, the arm body 36resiliently returns to an initial substantially horizontal state and thelock 93 is in contact with the rear surface of the housing lockingportion 38 to be lockable to this rear surface. On the other hand, thedetector locking portion 43 is pushed up by the lock 93 and unlockedfrom the housing locking portion 38. In this way, a movement of thedetector 11 from the standby position to the detection position in frontof the standby position is allowed. Further, when the housings 10, 90are connected properly, the respective mating terminal fittings 92 areinserted to a proper depth into the connecting portions 19 of therespective terminal fittings 12 to be connected electrically.

Subsequently, the detector 11 is moved to the detection position whilebeing gripped by fingers, as shown in FIG. 9. A worker can move thedetector 11 toward the detection position by placing the fingers incontact with the respective side walls 53 of the fitting 45 of thedetector 11 and pushing the detector 11 forward. The side walls 53include the recessed surfaces 56 and the respective rearward facingsurfaces 57 of the recessed surfaces 56 are provided in plural rows toextend in the front-rear direction while facing rearward. Thus, theworker can select the respective rearward facing surfaces 57 asoperating areas. Then, the worker presses the detector 11 forward whileplacing the fingers in contact with the respective rearward facingsurfaces 57, thereby being able to move the detector 11 toward thedetection position without slipping the fingers on the recessed surfaces56.

In the process of moving the detector 11 to the detection position, theinterfering portions 48 of the respective resilient pieces 55 contactwith and ride on the respective protrusions 27 and the respectiveresilient pieces 55 are deflected and deformed to bulge out from therecessed surfaces 56, as shown in FIG. 7. At this time, the worker cantouch the bulging resilient pieces 55 (in particular, the rearwardfacing surfaces 57 and the laterally facing surfaces 58 of the resilientpieces 55) while his fingers are pushed by the resilient pieces 55, andthe fingers can feel the bulge of each resilient piece 55. Further, inthe process of moving the detector 11 to the detection position, thedetector locking portion 43 slides on the upper surface of the housinglocking portion 38, and the resilient arm 62 is deflected and deformedwith a rear end side near the base 61 as a support.

Immediately before the detector 11 reaches the detection position, theinterfering portions 48 of the resilient pieces 55 ride over theprotrusions 27 and the resilient pieces 55 resiliently return toeliminate the bulge. As the resilient pieces 55 resiliently return, thedetector 11 arrives at the detection position at once and the resilientarm 62 also resiliently returns. Thus, the detector locking portion 43is in contact with the front surface of the housing locking portion 38to be lockable to this front surface, as shown in FIG. 3. In this way, amovement of the detector 11 in the return direction to the standbyposition is restricted. Further, since the front end of the cover 64 isarranged to contact the bridge 33, as shown in FIG. 2, and the back wall47 of the fitting 45 is arranged to contact the rear part of the housingbody 13, a forward movement of the detector 11 beyond the detectionposition is restricted. A front part of the resilient arm 62 is hiddeninside the bridge 33 and cannot be seen from above. Further, when thedetector 11 is at the detection position, the interfering portions 48 ofthe resilient pieces 55 are separated forward from the protrusions 27and not in contact with the protrusions 27, as shown in FIG. 8.

If the housings 10, 90 are not connected properly and the lock 93 is notlocked to the housing locking portion 38, the detector locking portion43 is kept locked to the housing locking portion 38. Thus, the detector11 cannot be moved from the standby position to the detection position.Therefore, it can be judged that the housings 10, 90 are connectedproperly if the detector 11 can be moved toward the detection positionand the housings 10, 90 are not connected properly unless the detector11 can be moved to the detection position.

That the detector 11 at the detection position can be detected byvisually confirming a moving state of the detector 11 with respect tothe housing 10, for example, by visually confirming a state where thefront end of the cover 64 is in contact with the bridge 33 as shown inFIG. 2. Further, a movement of the detector 11 to the detection positionalso can be sensed by an operation feeling when the resilient arm 62resiliently returns.

The presence of the detector 11 at the detection position also can bedetected tactually by fingers of a worker. Specifically, the workermoves the detector 11 to the detection position while placing his or herfingers in contact with the rearward facing surfaces 57 on the outersides of the resilient pieces 55 and also on areas of the side walls 53near the resilient pieces 55 and adjacent the upper and lower slits 54.Thus, the fingers can confirm the existence and the elimination of thebulge of each resilient piece 55.

On the other hand, the housings 10, 90 are separated from each other formaintenance or the like by inserting fingertips into the opening 69 ofthe fitting 45 and pushing a rear end side (base 61 and the like) of thedetecting body 42 down by the fingertips. The detecting body 42 then istilted together with the arm body 36, and the lock arm 15 and the lock93 are unlocked from each other. If the detector 11 is pressed rearwardin that state, the housings 10, 90 gradually move in separatingdirections and the detector 11 also moves in the return direction to thestandby position. The locking claw 23 of the retaining arm 52 then islocked to the retaining protrusion 22 to keep the detector 11 at thestandby position with respect to the housing 10, and the housings 10, 90are pulled apart.

As described above, the detector 11 can be moved smoothly from thestandby position to the detection position by gripping the rearwardfacing surfaces 57 in the recesses 56 of the side walls 53 by fingersand pushing the rearward facing surfaces 57 forward after the housings10, 90 are connected properly. The resilient pieces 55 align with therearward facing surfaces 57. Thus, the fingers are pushed by theresilient pieces 55 when the resilient pieces 55 bulge out in theprocess of moving the detector 11 to the detection position, and thebulging of each resilient piece 55 can be felt by the fingers. Further,the bulge of each resilient piece 55 is eliminated when the detector 11moves to the detection position and that state also can be felt by thefingers. Thus, a movement of the detector 11 to the detection positioncan be sensed tactually in addition to visual confirmation and operationfeeling. As a result, the detector 11 can be moved reliably to thedetection position.

The interfering portions 48 of the resilient pieces 55 are separatedforward from the respective protrusions 27 and do not contact theprotrusions 27 when the detector 11 is at the detection position. Thus,there is no need to consider positional relationships and shapes of theinterfering portions 48 and the protrusions 27, and a degree of freedomin arrangements and shapes of the interfering portions 48 and theprotrusions 27 can be enhanced.

The worker can have a good tactile sense since the fingers are pushed bythe respective resilient pieces 55 bulging from the recessed surfaces56. Further, since the respective rearward facing surfaces 57 do notproject laterally from the side walls 53, a concern about interferencewith a moving operation of the detector 11 can be reduced.

Other embodiments are briefly described below.

The detector may include the side wall at least on one side across thedetecting body.

The resilient piece, the interfering portion and the protrusion may beprovided on only one of the side walls.

The rearward facing surfaces may be provided only on the resilientpieces and not in areas of the side surfaces of the side walls adjacentto the slits.

The rearward facing surfaces may be provided only in areas of the sidesurfaces of the side walls adjacent to the resilient pieces via theslits without being on the resilient pieces.

The rearward facing surfaces may be slopes inclined with respect to thewidth and the front-rear directions. Thus, the laterally facing surfacescan be omitted from the recesses.

The outer surfaces of the resilient pieces may be recessed slightlyinward with respect to the outer surfaces of the areas of the recessedsurfaces adjacent to the resilient pieces via the upper and lower slits.According to this configuration, in moving the detector to the detectionposition, worker's fingers do not constantly touch the outer surfaces ofthe resilient pieces and can touch the resilient pieces only when theinterfering portions interfere with the protrusions and the resilientpieces bulge outward.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   10 . . . housing-   11 . . . detector-   15 . . . lock arm-   27 . . . protrusion-   38 . . . housing locking portion-   42 . . . detecting body-   43 . . . detector locking portion-   45 . . . fitting-   48 . . . interfering portion-   53 . . . side wall-   54 . . . slit-   55 . . . resilient piece-   56 . . . recessed surface-   57 . . . rearward facing surface-   59 . . . coupling-   66 . . . tilting fulcrum-   69 . . . opening-   90 . . . mating housing-   93 . . . lock

What is claimed is:
 1. A connector, comprising: a housing (10)connectable to a mating housing (90); and a detector (11) movable in thehousing (10) in a front-rear direction, the detector (11) being allowedto move from a standby position to a detection position in front of thestandby position when the housing (10) is connected properly to themating housing (90); wherein: the housing (10) includes a protrusion(27) on a side surface; the detector (11) includes a side wall (53)configured to cover the side surface of the housing (10); the side wall(53) includes a resilient piece (55) configured to bulge out byinterfering with the protrusion (27) in a moving process to thedetection position and eliminate bulge at the detection position; and aside surface of the side wall (53) includes a rearward facing surface(57) arranged to face rearward at a position adjacent to the resilientpiece (55) via slits (54) formed on both sides of the resilient piece(55).
 2. The connector of claim 1, wherein of the resilient piece (55)has an interfering portion (48) configured to interfere with theprotrusion (27), the interfering portion (48) being arranged apart fromthe protrusion (27) in the front-rear direction when the detector (11)is at the detection position.
 3. The connector of claim 2, wherein therearward facing surface (57) is provided in a recessed surface that isrecessed with respect to a peripheral area of the resilient piece (55)on the side wall (53).
 4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the rearwardfacing surface (57) is provided in a recessed surface that is recessedwith respect to a peripheral area of the resilient piece (55) on theside wall (53).
 5. A connector, comprising: a housing (10) connectableto a mating housing (90); and a detector (11) movable in the housing(10), the detector (11) being allowed to move from a standby position toa detection position in front of the standby position when the housing(10) is connected properly to the mating housing (90); wherein: thehousing (10) includes a protrusion (27) on a side surface; the detector(11) includes a side wall (53) configured to cover the side surface ofthe housing (10); the side wall (53) includes a resilient piece (55)configured to bulge outward by interfering with the protrusion (27) whenmoving to the detection position and to eliminate bulge at the detectionposition; and a side surface of the resilient piece (55) includes arearward facing surface (57) facing rearward.
 6. The connector of claim5, wherein of the resilient piece (55) has an interfering portion (48)configured to interfere with the protrusion (27), the interferingportion (48) being arranged apart from the protrusion (27) in thefront-rear direction when the detector (11) is at the detectionposition.
 7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the rearward facingsurface (57) is provided in a recessed surface that is recessed withrespect to a peripheral area of the resilient piece (55) on the sidewall (53).
 8. The connector of claim 5, wherein the rearward facingsurface (57) is provided in a recessed surface that is recessed withrespect to a peripheral area of the resilient piece (55) on the sidewall (53).